Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!ssbell!mcmi!denny From: pvr@autoctrl.rug.ac.be (Patrick Van Renterghem) Newsgroups: news.announce.conferences Subject: BIRA's Second International TRANSPUTER Conference Message-ID: <1989Oct22.000030.4564@mcmi.uucp> Date: 22 Oct 89 00:00:30 GMT Expires: 10/23/89 Sender: denny@mcmi.uucp (Denny Page) Organization: State University of Ghent Lines: 548 Approved: denny@mcmi ---------------- BIRA ------------------ Second International Transputer Conference Transputers for Industrial Applications II October 23 & 24, 1989 Switel Hotel, Antwerp, Belgium ---------------- BIRA ------------------ Introduction and Objectives: The Transputer: The transputer is a single VLSI chip that combines processing power, memory and communication links for direct connection to other transputers. The transputer contains a fast integer and floating-point processor and can be used as a building block for even faster parallel processing systems, ranging from embedded systems to supercomputers. It is also the only successful European microprocessor on the world market. The transputer is an excellent and cost-effective research vehicle for examining parallel processing, load balancing, routing strategies, ... and is used by nearly all research institutes worldwide. Why a Transputer Conference ? This conference wants to show that the transputer is no longer the "university's toy", but a mature and useful device for industrial applications. Indeed, many companies in the U.K., Germany, the U.S. and Japan have software or hardware products based on the transputer. Unfortunately, a lot of these applications are military or confidential, e.g. the nuclear power plant control system, built by CGE-Alsthom in France using a large number of transputers. Nevertheless, we think we have an excellent selection of successful transputer applications at this conference, which will clearly show why and how transputer systems can be used in industrial applications. The Exhibition: Concurrently with the Second International Transputer Conference, we organize a specialized exhibition in which several manufacturers of hardware and software for the transputer demonstrate their products and applications. Several companies have recognized the importance of this conference and will launch and demonstrate their newest products. Who Should Attend ? Because many speakers will address the cost/performance question, the advantages of using transputers and the actual application they realized, this conference will benefit both project managers, developers and technically aware management. This conference is invaluable for developers of high-speed, highly integrated or fault-tolerant systems, programmers who want to exploit parallel processing techniques and everyone who has applications that demand a very high performance. Why Should You Attend ? It is impossible to ignore the transputer when developing or using the fastest system for your application, whether it is an embedded system, a robot control or an artificial intelligence application. Because the emphasis of this conference lies on industrial applications of transputers, and not on academic talks about what can be done with those systems, we feel that this conference is extremely useful for everyone involved in industrial applications. If you are interested in parallel processing in general, or the transputer in particular, if you are interested to see what the transputer can do for your application, or wish to know more about it, then you should attend this conference. PROGRAMME: DAY 1 DAY 2 --------- ----- ----- 8.45 - 9.00 : Registration/Welcome 9.20 - 10.00 : Presentation 1 Francis Wray Mr. Zimmerman 10.00 - 10.40 : Presentation 2 Evert Buitenwerf Christian Tricot 10.40 - 11.20 : Coffee/Tea + Exhibition 11.20 - 12.00 : Presentation 3 Hiroshi Takada Simon Taylor 12.00 - 12.40 : Presentation 4 Marc Leman Mr. A. Eppinger 12.40 - 14.00 : Lunch + Coffee/Tea 14.00 - 14.40 : Presentation 5 Kevin Conroy Philip Mattos 14.40 - 15.20 : Presentation 6 Daniel Geypen Tom Wiley 15.20 - 16.00 : Coffee/Tea + Exhibition 16.00 - 16.40 : Presentation 7 Richard Stephens Keith Grimm 16.40 - 17.20 : Presentation 8 Simon Roberts Mr. H. Mirab 17.20 : Exhibition Closing of the semina r Conference Dinner (optional) The following presentations will be given: Computational Fluid Dynamics on Arrays of Transputers Francis Wray, Topexpress Ltd., Cambridge, U.K. Over recent years the demand for high speed computers has risen dramatically. This has been particularly so in computational fluid dynamics. With this growth in demand has come an increase in performance. Technology now allows what was considered to be supercomputer performance a decade ago to be achieved by a modern desk-top workstation. Although single-processor computer performance has grown rapidly in the past, this rate of growth cannot be sustained. The speed of light and the laws of quantum mechanics impose fundamental physical limits which cannot be breached. Economic constraints are equally significant: processor, bus and memory technologies are becoming steadily more exotic and expensive in an attempt to make them faster. A different and more cost effective way to increase computing power is to construct multiple-processor computers. Using transputers, one can replace a highly expensive supercomputer with several mass-produced microprocessors, each having their own memory, and whose total processing power is immense. This assumes one can devise procedures that are amenable to parallelisation. This presentation describes techniques used by Topexpress for the implementation of two or threedimensional Euler solvers in parallel on an array of transputers. Comparisons with existing supercomputers are made and possible extensions to the completed work are discussed. An Operational Pattern Recognition System on Transputers Evert Buitenwerf, PTT Dr. Neher Labs, Leidschendam, The Netherlands This presentation discusses the migration of an existing pattern recognition system, written in (sequential) Pascal to a network of transputers. The software for the transputer version consists of an occam communication framework and about 17000 lines of original Pascal code. The transputer pattern recognition system currently runs on a network of 16 T800 transputers. This work is carried out for the Dutch Postbank NV. The Postbank daily receives more than half a million mostly handwritten cheques. As the actual booking process is computerized, these cheques must be encoded in a computer readable form. Currently, a process combining human and computerized reading guarantees that this large amount of cheques is processed with a minimum of coding errors. Implementation of Neural Networks on Parallel Systems Hiroshi Takada, Nippon Steel, Japan This presentation describes a neural network simulator for transputers. It has a hierarchical software library based on a number of vector functions which are written in the programming language C and linked symmetrically with OCCAM procedures. The library enables users to describe any type of neural network flexibly and easily keeping its high processing speed. According to a recent test on four transputers, it simulates a complex neural network of a thousand of squid neurons above ten times faster than a workstation. The use of Transputers and Self-Organizing Neural Networks in a Music Recognitio n Task Marc Leman, Institute for Psychoacoustics and Electronic Music and Patrick Van Renterghem, Automatic Control Laboratory State University of Ghent, Belgium In this presentation, it is shown how transputers are used for a simulation task in music research. In particular we focus on the application of transputers for a model by which higher-level abstract knowledge about tonality features in a musical environment is achieved by self-organization. The self-organizing principles adopted are computationally intensive and transputer networks offer a convenient and cost-effective tool for their implementation. First we discuss the problem of music recognition as a fundamental problem in artificial intelligence research. In the second part of the presentation, we describe briefly the Kohonen learning vector quantization algorithm used for knowledge acquisition by self-organization. We will show that this algorithm has a straightforward parallel implementation when one neuron of the self-organizing network could be connected to one processing unit - one transputer. With less transputers than the number of neurons in the network, we need to divide the matrix of output neurons over a network of transputers and communicate information between them. In the remaining part of the presentation we will discuss an implementation on a four-transputer system (with some results) and a generalization of this implementation on more than four transputers (the processor farm approach). Transputers in the North Sea Kevin Conroy, Conoco Ltd., Viking Gas Terminal, Mablethorpe, U.K. This presentation will discuss: - a short overview of controlling unmanned offshore platforms - the "standard" processor approach - the reasons for chosing the "university's toy", the transputer - an initial application of the T212 - the many benefits in the test and debug phases of product development - the inherent reliability of transputer programs - further uses of the transputer in - real-time digital signal processing of vibration signals on gas turbines - "Surge Control" on gas compressors - a summary of how Calcam Control Systems has seen the benefits of transputers as against Intel processors for embedded industrial control and monitoring Transputer Technology in Ultrasonic Data Acquisition Systems Daniel Geypen, Non-Destructive Testing R & D, Vincotte, Brussels, Belgiu m This presentation describes a new concept in ultrasonic data acquisition and processing equipment for flaw non-destructive evaluation. A multi-processing algorithm is implemented on a transputer-based processing unit, together with dedicated synchro-to-digital converters, allowing fast on-line data processing. To minimize transfer and storage delays, data reduction is achieved through the new multi-peak detection software. A modular structure, with various components communicating through an IEEE-488 bus, permits the system to connect easily to other existing or future equipment. The performance of the system is illustrated by some examples of applications in nuclear power plants. Implementation of a Frame Rate 3D Object Tracker Richard Stevens, Computing Devices Company Ltd., Cambridge, U.K. In this presentation, a system for tracking the three-dimensional motion of objects in real time is described. The system is interesting because it performs frame rate image processing without the need for any special purpose hardware. Because it does not require any preprocessing of the image, it can be implemented using only a network of a few transputers. Segmentation of images is necessarily computationally intensive, due to the large amount of data that has to be processed. Systems that have to operate in a real-time environment almost exclusively use dedicated hardware. These systems are expensive and inflexible, and if a software implementation is possible, substantial savings can be made. With the advent of processors such as the transputer, this is becoming more and more feasible. The Role of the VMEbus in Transputer-Based Real-Time Systems Simon Roberts, Cambridge RISC Machines, Cambridge, U.K. In this presentation, a short overview of the salient features of the VMEbus will be presented, followed by a description of ways of interfacing a transputer network to the VMEbus. A transputer network interfaced to the VMEbus as a slave is an effective means of adding additional processing power to an existing VMEbus master such as a 68030. The presentation will describe how existing applications, running under the OS9/680x0 operating system, may be ported to the transputer, whilst retaining full access to the facilities and I/O devices of the OS9 system. If one node of a transputer network is given access to the VMEbus as a master, VMEbus I/O boards may be controlled directly. This allows a completely transputer-based real-time system to be constructed which has access to the very wide range of high quality VMEbus I/O boards that are available. A brief discussion of some of the implementation issues will be presented, including how the VMEbus interrupt mechanism can be mapped onto the transputer's single event input and how 16-bit VMEbus transfers can be accomodated. The presentation will conclude with a short description of some example applications. Transputer Activities at Volkswagen Research Mr. P. Zimmermann, Volkswagen AG, Wolfsburg, Germany Transputers have been detected to be a good tool to efficiently solve problems in the field of simulation and control. Two applications will be presented to demonstrate the advantages of transputer networks. Visual simulation is one of the most important and most expensive parts of a driving simulator. Available systems on the market are strongly hardware oriented. The transputer approach offers the possibility to develop a more software oriented visual system, which will meet the requirements for a driving simulation with reduced costs. This presentation gives an overview about requirements, algorithms and current state of development. An active vehicle suspension system needs a portable board computer for controlling the valves of the hydraulic actuators. This is done by a shock-resistant AT-compatible host computer, coupled with a network of T800 and T212 transputers. The latter build the connection to the Analog to Digital Converters. Archipel: 2 Examples of Industrial Applications of Transputers Christian Tricot, Archipel, Meylan, France We present two of our customer's industrial applications using transputers. Both are original and show a new way of using transputers. The first concerns the image synthesis to produce movies. The parallelism is introduced on pixel computation and facet presentation. The architecture is based on an en-ring of two transputers per node. This software is used at an industrial level to produce the movie image per image. Some of these movies have been produced for French TV channels (Canal+, La 5). The second one is a simulation of low density gas in the high atmosphere using the Bird principle of simulation. This software is a sort of engine allowing the simulation of a large range of problems. A piece of atmosphere (experience area) is divided into cells and grouped into slices. The soft- ware manages the behaviour of molecules between the cells and slices. Some cells can contain part of an object. A flux of molecules can be introduced from one edge into the experience area. The results of different simulations are very impressive. With this application the scientist can get results in fields for which no other method is possible. This application is completed with a 3D visualisation method. Applications of Parallel Computing in Manufacturing Systems Simon Taylor, Leeds Polytechnic, Leeds, U.K. Companies wishing to invest in computer based manufacturing systems face heavy restrictions in the level of investment in expertise, money and time. This paper shows how these restrictions can be reduced by examining how the Communicating Sequential Processes model, and its hardware and software realisation of the Transputer and Occam, can be applied to manufacturing systems. The transputer offers low cost, high performance computing power with all of the advantages that the process model offers over conventional sequential approaches. The transputer needs little supporting circuitry and it easily connected to other transputers. Consequently, it can be easily used in the design of highly modular control and monitoring equipment. Additionally, the embedded code in the transputer has been formally proven, and can therefore further support the use of formal methods in system design and specification. ASCET - An Integrated, Interactive Control Engineering Tool for Nonlinear Systems based on Fast Object-Oriented Simulation on a Multi-Transputer System Mr. A. Eppinger, Robert Bosch GmbH, Stuttgart, Germany This presentation will cover the concepts and actual status of the ASCET (Advanced Simulation and Control Engineering Tool) project which may be characterized by three major features: - starting from system representation all the way down to the simulation, ASCET follows the principle of "Object-Orientation". This gives it analog-computer like features of structure-conversation and interactivity. Transputers can be interpreted as the hardware representation of objects thus being very well suited for object-oriented simulation. - ASCET integrates analysis and design methods in a unique modular approach using the same user interface as for simulation. - Simulation is powerful enough to provide real-time simulation capabilities in the KHz range. Through process interfaces, real hardware components may be included into the design process ("hardware-in-the-loop"). Signal Processing for Satellite Communications using the Transputer Philip Mattos, Inmos Ltd., Bristol, U.K. Spread spectrum communication conventionally requires complex hardware to extract the signal before it can be demodulated by a phase locked loop and interpreted by a micro. The speed of the transputer allows it to perform all three tasks in software, even for complex applications as the GPS (global positioning system) navigation system, where up to five separate satellite signals must be handled simultaneously. In addition, the time to achieve synchronisation with the satellite is greatly reduced due to the ability to operate at maximum processor speed, rather than incoming data rate. Using the transputer reduces the system hardware to a simple superhet downconversion/gain block with worst case acquisition times of seconds, rather than tens of minutes experienced by hardware systems. After the receiver, a 6 component CPU/memory system supports signal processing, calculation and user interface, making a handheld navigation or communications unit possible. The Transputer Data Processing Experiment in the UOSAT-E satellite Tom Wiley, Francisco Gomez-Molinero, European Space Agency, ESTEC, Noordwijk, The Netherlands This presentation describes the Transputer Data Processing Experiment (TDPE) carried out by the European Space Agency within the Technology Demonstration Programme. TDPE is an in-flight facility carried by the University of Surrey UOSAT-E satellite. UOSAT-E is due for launching by November 1989 using an Ariane IV rocket. Several experiments are intended to be carried out with the Transputer Facility. These are based on our own experience in image compression as well as the fault-tolerant multitransputer configurations derived from the work performed by Smith Associates for ESTEC. The experiments designed by ESTEC are meant to: - Investigate the effects of the space radiation on the transputers. - Demonstrate how a fault-tolerant multitransputer configuration can cope with the problem of SEU in high integrity applications. - Demonstrate the performance of the Transputer for on-board image compression. The paper presents the multitransputer architecture and explains the experiments intended to be carried out in the first phase. Utilization of Transputer Networks in a Free Flying Autonomous Robot Keith Grimm, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, U.S.A. The Extra-Vehicular Activity (EVA) Retriever robot has been developed as a ground demonstration project and a precursor to a flight experiment at the Johnson Space Center. It utilizes an array of twenty transputers to perform vision processing and sensor fusion, mission control and arbitration, world model construction and update, crew interface support, inertial measurements data processing, and robot arm control. Currently the robot can execute a simple target track and retrieval scenario. Transputers for Robot Control H. Mirab, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, University of Glasgow, U.K. A transputer network, interfaced to a robot manipulator is used to study the performance of the transputers for robot control applications and to model validation of the robot. Different parallel architectures are utilized to achieve required system performance with a reduced computational time. Advanced real-time control algorithms are needed in robotic applications to deal with the non-linear system dynamics and the uncertainties in the robot model. The non-linearities are due to Coriolis and Centrifugal reaction forces between joints and also inertia and gravity loading effects. The manipulator's physical parameters, instantaneous joint configuration and the load it is carrying will affect the interaction torques and forces. The computational speeds needed for implementation of control algorithms which will take these non-linearities into account, resulting in improved performance, can be achieved by exploiting the power of parallel computing. PARTICIPATION FEE: ----------------- The fee for the conference/exhibition is: 13500 BEF for members of the BIRA/IBRA 15000 BEF for non-members 6500 BEF for teachers and assistants including coffee/tea, lunches, proceedings, admission to the conference and exhibition room Payments, in BEF (= Belgian Francs) only, to be made on receipt of an invoice from the BIRA Office. A special price can be obtained for students (please contact the BIRA Office for conditions). Each participant will receive an admission badge which will authorise access to the Conference, the Lunchroom and the Exhibition. It must be worn throughout the whole seminar period. Registrations will close on wednesday October 18, 1989. CONFIRMATIONS WILL NOT BE SENT. Cancellation is possible before October 18, 1989. In this case a charge of 60 % will be reimbursed. After October 18, 1989 the whole registration fee must be reimbursed, in this case we will send you the proceedings and the list of participants, following the Conference. An exquisite dinner in the restaurant of the Switel Hotel on Monday 23 October. Separate registration is required - Fees: 1250 BEF/person. Rooms can be booked on your behalf in local hotels (please contact the Antwerp Tourist Office, tel: +32 3 232 01 03) or directly at the Switel hotel (tel: +32 3 231 67 80, fax: +32 3 233 02 90). Please refer to the Conference for a special rate ! The Switel Hotel is situated nearby the Antwerp Central Railway Station. Parking is available in the underground carpark. Address: Copernicuslaan 2, 2018 Antwerp, Belgium. The number of participants will be limited to 250. Exhibitors can still rent space in the exhibition area. Prices are reasonable (approx. 2500 BEF/m2/day). To get more information, write, call or fax: The BIRA Office: | The Scientific Coordinator: | Luk Pauwels | Patrick Van Renterghem The BIRA Office, | Univ. of Ghent/Automatic Control Lab, Desguinlei 214, | Grotesteenweg Noord 2, 2018 Antwerpen | 9710 Ghent-Zwijnaarde Tel: +32 3 216 09 96 | +32 91 22 57 55 ext. 313 Fax: +32 3 216 06 89 | +32 91 22 85 91 Email: ---- | pvr@bgerug51.bitnet =========================================================================== REGISTRATION FORM: ----------------- Second International Transputer Conference BIRA - Belgian Institute for Automatic Control Antwerp, 23 and 24 October 1989. (Please Print:) NAME: ......................................................... FIRST NAME: ................................................... ADDRESS: ...................................................... ...................................................... POSITION: ..................................................... COMPANY OR INSTITUTE: ......................................... ADDRESS: ...................................................... ...................................................... TEL.: ................................... FAX : ................................... Registers for the BIRA Transputer Conference and pays: ....... BEF as a member / non-member / academic Wants to participate in the Conference Dinner and pays: .... BEF Please indicate whether the invoice should be addressed to the company or the personal address (please delete inapplicable statement). DATE: ........................ SIGNATURE: .................... Please return this form (by post or fax) before October 18, 1989 to: BIRA Office, attn. Luk Pauwels, Desguinlei 214, 2018 Antwerp, Belgium tel: +32 3 216 09 96 fax: +32 3 216 06 89 -- Good health is merely the slowest rate at which one can die.